The ADAC sees cycle highways as a suitable alternative for commuters. An expansion should move them to switch from cars to bicycles.
- In Germany, we cannot complain about a bad motorway network.
- However, traffic jams cannot always be avoided - especially at peak times.
- In order to relieve the freeways on motorways, the ADAC sees the expansion of cycle highways as a suitable measure.
At peak times, commuters have to expect a lot of traffic on the streets. The way to work and back can not only cost a lot of time, but also nerves. For this reason, the ADAC sees the expansion of cycle highways in Germany as a recommended measure that should motivate drivers to switch to bicycles or e-bikes.
Cycle highways: the advantages of the "bicycle highways"
According to this, this should be particularly useful for commuters who have to travel distances between 5 and 15 kilometers . For this reason, the ADAC considers routes that connect cities with surrounding towns to be particularly suitable , but also city-city connections . In order to relieve the pressure on the motorways and public transport, the "bicycle highways" should run in the same corridor as the streets and rails. In the city center, fast cycle paths are more difficult to implement because more effort would be required.
However, there are also a number of prerequisites for expanding expressways outside of the city.
Cycle highways only where they are used
Cycle highways cost a lot of money. For this reason, only those should be created where high usage is expected. Ideally, there should be at least 2,000 cyclists there every day . Therefore, catchment areas would be suitable in which there are many job focal points, shopping centers, commercial areas and universities.
The ADAC also takes a closer look at the quality standards that high-speed cycle paths have to meet. It must therefore be ensured that two cyclists * can ride side by side and that a third party still has enough space to overtake them. The streets would have to be at least three meters wide in one-way traffic and four meters in two-way traffic . The minimum length of the rapid cycle paths should be five kilometers. By avoiding traffic lights, bridges and underpasses, it should also be possible for cyclists to reach an average speed of 20 km / h . It is also important that the road surface consists of a high-quality surface and that there is sufficient lighting.
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Cycle highways: model Netherlands
The Netherlands are considered pioneers in cycling. There, the development of cycle highways has a long tradition. According to ADAC, such efforts usually result in up to 15 percent of drivers switching to bicycles .
There are already some successful examples of cycle high-speed routes in Germany: the Nordbahnstraße Wuppertal, the eRadschnellweg Göttingen or the Veloroute 10 in Kiel.
Also interesting: Buying a used bike: You should keep these five tips in mind .
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* tz.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.
